Advice about selling a car, recieving payment via paypal.

hasey
Contributor
Contributor

I'm selling my car (not on ebay) and have had someone offering to buy via paypal and send someone for collection. I know all about these scams where buyers say I'll pay with a bankers draft and add shipping fees and the seller has to sort it out with the shippers. I've always disregarded these and said cash on collection only but this one says he'll pay in full via paypal and arrange for someone to collect. I just want to know where I stand on the security of the payment. Do I have to wait any particular time for it to clear? Can he cancel payment once cleared or request a refund?

You hear so many scams going on I just want to be sure, I'm already dubious due to the fact he's saying he'll send someone else to collect. Or am I just best sticking to my guns and demanding cash on collection? Please help.

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407 REPLIES 407

hillary411
New Community Member

I have also reived a request to buy my car from Germany, the same Ken <removed> as listed here. It seemed off to me right away.  Glad this is here but I would not have done it anyway....too suspicious.

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Jdunham812
Member
Member

I received this email from "Kenneth Wilson" on the first day my car was posted on AutoTrader today. The email address used is <removed>, and the phone number is 502 area code, <removed>. Do you have the extra keys, Do you have the spare tire, Where did you get your car serviced, Have you ever had any transmission repairs and Is there any rust on the vehicle? I'm ready to pay your asking price but not cash in person because I am serving in the US army and currently been deploy to NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany and calls are restricted at the moment and my only quickest payment option is PayPal, its safe fast and secure and i will be responsible for the PayPal transaction charges so you can get your expected amount. If you don't have an account with PayPal, its pretty easy to open one, Just log onto <a href="http://www.paypal.com" target="_blank">www.paypal.com</a> and sign up. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? As I am buying the vehicle for my dad and I'm very sure he will love this vehicle, his a mechanic and a handy man, so if there is anything that need to be fixed in it just let me know he will handle it. I have a mover that will come for the pick up once payment clears in your account and he will handle the title for me. I look forward to hear from you with the information below. Your PayPal e-Mail Address : Full name: Firm Price: Zip code for pickup: Cheers, Kenneth.

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pk1
New Community Member

We are in PA, and had exactly the same email from Kenneth <removed> about a car we had listed for 1 day on auto trader.

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ghforge
New Community Member

I had the same EXACT email from Kenneth <removed> this morning except for the phone number. The phone number was a Kansas Area Code. <removed>

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TybeeKent
Contributor
Contributor

I told "Mark <removed>" who used the identical email as "Kenneth <removed>" that I would prefer to do the transaction through USAA, which is used by many if noit most soldiers, but he/she/it just ignored the suggestion and continued emailing as if I was going to go through with the scam.

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93reddfoxx
New Community Member
I also received a text message and email from ken underscore wilson05 at hotmail. It sounded suspicious so I replied that I prefer to do transactions in person and then googled the email address and found all the posts about the same person. Thank goodness for these forums! This was the message I received. Do you have the extra keys, Do you have the spare tire, Where did you get your car serviced, Have you ever had any transmission repairs and Is there any rust on the vehicle? I'm ready to pay your asking price but not cash in person because I am serving in the US army and currently been deploy to NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany and calls are restricted at the moment and my only quickest payment option is PayPal, its safe fast and secure and i will be responsible for the PayPal transaction charges so you can get your expected amount. If you don't have an account with PayPal, its pretty easy to open one, Just log onto &lt;a href="<a href="http://www.paypal.com&quot;" target="_blank">http://www.paypal.com"</a> target="_blank"&gt;<a href="http://www.paypal.com&lt;/a&gt;" target="_blank">www.paypal.com&lt;/a&gt;</a> and sign up. I hope we can make the purchase as fast as possible? As I am buying the vehicle for my dad and I'm very sure he will love this vehicle, his a mechanic and a handy man, so if there is anything that need to be fixed in it just let me know he will handle it. I have a mover that will come for the pick up once payment clears in your account and he will handle the title for me. I look forward to hear from you with the information below. Your PayPal e-Mail Address : Full name: Firm Price: Zip code for pickup: Cheers, Kenneth.
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drrickdvm
Contributor
Contributor

I just received the same exact response from "Kenneth <removed>" for a car I am selling!  

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BehzadMas
New Community Member

Hi hasey, 

 

I've had a similar situation where the buyer has asked that they will pay the amount in full via paypal and also will pay the shipping fees for the collectors to come and collect from me. I wanted to check if this is a scam and what was the outcome of your request? Did you end up selling him/her teh car?


@hasey wrote:

I'm selling my car (not on ebay) and have had someone offering to buy via paypal and send someone for collection. I know all about these scams where buyers say I'll pay with a bankers draft and add shipping fees and the seller has to sort it out with the shippers. I've always disregarded these and said cash on collection only but this one says he'll pay in full via paypal and arrange for someone to collect. I just want to know where I stand on the security of the payment. Do I have to wait any particular time for it to clear? Can he cancel payment once cleared or request a refund?

You hear so many scams going on I just want to be sure, I'm already dubious due to the fact he's saying he'll send someone else to collect. Or am I just best sticking to my guns and demanding cash on collection? Please help.


 

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TybeeKent
Contributor
Contributor

Waiting for the money to clear PayPal is pointless.  The money is never deposited to PayPal, but you or your Spam folder might receive emails indicating that the money has been deposited.

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Deedee3
New Community Member
Why can't they stop these people? Wouldn't be hard for undercover agents to just post a car for sale???
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